Patriots release veteran running back Sammy Morris

The Patriots have informed veteran running back Sammy Morris that he has been released, according to his agent Mark Slough.

Morris, who was signed by the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2007, has spent the last four seasons in New England, with his best year coming in 2008 when he rushed for 727 yards.

The 34-year-old, who has also played with Buffalo and Miami over the course of an 11-year career where he rushed for 2,955 yards, was one of the more well-respected players in the New England locker room, a classy and intelligent professional who built a reputation as a true team player while with the Patriots.

However, the veteran was faced with an uphill fight in a battle for a roster spot this season, as New England drafted a pair of running backs this past spring in Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley. They joined an already crowded positional grouping that included veterans BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead and Kevin Faulk.